Lighting means for instrument boards



May 1, 1928. 1,668,525

A. CHAMPION LIGHTING MEANS FOR INSTRUMENT BOARDS Fi led Jan. 7. 1926 ALBERT DAMP/L717 Patented May 1, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,668,525 PATENT orrics.

ALBERT CHAMPION, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB TO A C SPARK PLUG- COIVIIANY,

O1? FLINT, MICHIGAN, A COMPANY. OF MICHIGAN.

LIGHTING MEANS FOR INSTRUMENT BOARDS.

Application filed January 7, 1926. Serial no. 79,765.

The object of this invention is to provide an instrument assembly in which the light source which illuminates the instrument dials also serves for the illumination of the instrument panel. This is accomplished by providing the instruments with a casing or cover which projects outwardly from the panel and is provided with an opening or openings in the sides of the outwardly projecting portion of the casing so that light from a source arranged at the rear of the casing may throw its light not only upon the instrument dials but also outwardly along the instrument board. The light thus 7 projected on the instrument board may serve to illuminate the usual switches, clock, and other instrument panel fittings.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an instrument panel in which my invention is enibodied.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the panel, the instruments being shown in elevation.

Figure 3 is a view on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

The reference character 2 indicates an instrument panel which may be of any desired shape or material. I have shown at 4 a conventional clock and at 6 a switch assembly of any desired type. At 8 I have indicated the instrument assembly representing one embodiment of my invention. The instrumentsinclude gauges 10 and speed ometer 12. While the instruments may be individually mounted upon the instrument board, I have preferred to mount them in openings in the base 14 of a casing 16 which serves to enclose the instruments. The casing comprises also a cover 18 connected to the base in any preferred manner as by interfitting flanges 20. It will be noted that the cover comprises a face portion 22 and side portions 24 projecting outwardly from the face of the instrument panel. The side portions 24 are provided with openings 26. The face portion of the cover 24 is covered by a glass plate 28 and at the rear of the plate is arranged a face plate 30 provided with openings 32 for exposing the dials of the instruments. If desired the plate 30 may be formed as an integral part of the cover plate 24.

The light source is arranged within the casing 16 and consists of a conventional electric bulb 34 mounted in the base 14. Howillumination of the instrument dials while at the same time throwing a small proportion of the light upon the dash. If desired,

the bulb 34 may be so arranged that the light from the light bulb does not directly fall upon the adjacent instrument board fittings but is cast thereon after rerefiection of the light by surfaces within the casing 24 which are good diffusers of light as well as reflectors. Whether the light be so located or not it is, however, desirable that the interior of the casing 26 be treated to reduce the absorption of light as by painting it white, nickeling or the like.

It will be noted that the openings 26, as shown in Figure 3, are small so that relatively narrow shafts of light are projected along the face of the instrument board and these are, in effect, directed or focused upon the switch device at one side of the instrument board and upon the clock at the other side of the instrument board.

I claim:

1. An instrument assembly, the combination of an instrument panel having an aperture therein, an instrument casing comprising a base portion, a plurality of instruments mounted in said base portion, said base portion being adapted to seat in said opening, a cover plate overlying said base portion, said. cover plate comprising a face portion and side portions, a source of light in said casing arranged for the illumination of the instrument dials, means for securing said casing to the instrument panel, and an aperture in the side portion of said cover plate adapted for the projection of light for general illumination.

2. The combination of an instrument panel, an instrument provided with indicating means mounted on the panel, a cover for the instruments projecting forwardly from the panel, said cover having an aperture for the display of the indicating means, a light source concealed by the cover and arranged to illuminate the indicating means, said coverbeing provided with a laterally facface portion being apertured for the display of the indicating means, a light source concealed by the cover and arranged to illuminate the indicating means, said side portions of the cover being apertured for the projection of light along the exposed face of the panel.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALBERT CHAMPION. 

